Winding and unwinding yarns or threads



y Sept. 25, 1928. 1,685,390

E. J. ABBOTT WINDING AND UNWINDING YARNS OR THREADS Filed May 18, 18225 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 2?/ MMV @aww Y cgs.

Sept. 25 1928. 1,685,390

E. J. Assorr WINDING AND UNWINDING YARNS 0R THIIADS Filed may 1s, 1923 4 slumw-sneet 3 Sept. 2 5, 1928.

E. J. ABBOTT WINDING AND UNWINDING YARNS OR THPEADS Filed May 18, 1925 4 Shests-$heet 4 @gpmywfww latented Sept. 25, 1928.

`UNITED .STATES EDWARD J'. ABBOTT, 0l' WIITON, NEW HAMPSHIRE.

Wn'TDING AI-I'D UNWINDING YABNS 0R THREADS.

Application illed lay 1B,

This invention relates to a method of winding textile yarns and apparatus adapted'to wind and unwind yarns according to the method.

n In recent practice, particularly in the worsted yarn trade, it is common to wind a number, for example from 40 to 48, yarnends in multiple u on a spool known as a dresser spool an in older practice, warps lo have been. wound on section-beams in a similar way. These dresser spools may be from 30 to 40 inches long and have 10-inch heads, and when full, hold from 40 to 50 pounds of yarn. The filled dresser spool is in growing l use as a commercial package for convenient transportation and sale of finished yarn. Customarily, such a parallel-wound spool is used by weavers in making up warps, the several yarns from a number of such spools,

guided and separated by a comb or reed, be-

ing simultaneously Wound onto a warp beam for use in a loom. This can be done conveniently, but when it is desirable, as often occurs, first to inspect and remove defects from the yarns, to use some of the yarns from the dresser spool singly, asfor example when a warp is to be laid for striped or fancy weaves, o r when yarns packaged on such spool are to be employed as wefts, or are to 20 be used by knitting machines, it is necessary first to unwind the dresser spool and to separate and individuallyrewind its separated yarns in order separately to place or use such Yurns. 1 3 When the yarnsare to be wound into individual cheeses or skeins or other packages for such separate use, theyshould obviously be unwound from the dresser spool at substantially the same rate and under the same tension in order to prevent breaking or snarling, which can be done by individually driving the winding packages under proper' conditions, but there is no certainty of attaining 'this result if the yarns are merely pulled off from a freely rotating unwinding spool. For example, if'the pullupon the yarn is wholly relied upon to start't-he'heavy dresser spool into motion, an undue and injurious. strain is often imposed upon some or all of the yarns. and on some more than others, while the momentum of the dresser spool, after it attains operative speed, issuch that unless some form of brake is applied, it tends 1923. Serial lo. 839,830.

to overrun and tangle the yarns when .the machine is stopped.

Principal objects of the present invention are to provide a method, and apparat-us useful in its performance, for overcoming the difliculties of rewinding from parallel or multiple-wound packages such as dresser spools, section beams or Warp beams permity ting the yarns to be rewound individually or 1n groups; for keeping each yarn under a substantially uniform and predetermined tension; and 4to avoid subjecting the yarns to undue strain. or danger of snarling or tangling during the rewinding operation.

In the accompanying drawm theinvention is shown by way of examples; to certain instances only of rewinding operations, by way of illustrating the generic method and examples of preferred apparatus. In the drawin s;

Fig. 1 is a front e evation of a machine for cross, or traverse-winding cheeses or cops of yarn provided with devices useful in attaining the objects of the present invention;

Fig. 2 is a vertical section, partly in elevation, on the line 2 2 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a vertical section, partly in elevation, on the line 3 3 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 4 is a nside elevation, partly in axial section, of the usual dresser spool of commerce;

Fig. 5 is'a fragmentary plan View illustrating details of the tension controlling mechanism; f

Fig. 6 is a fragmentary front elevation of a skein Winder constructed and operating according to the invention;

Fig. 7 is an elevation from the right-hand side of Fig. 6;

Fig. v8 is a side elevation of a reinspecting winder` constructed and operating according to the invention;

Fig. 9 is a detail elevation, partly in section, of one of the unwinding dresser spools of the device of Fig. 8;

Fig. 10 is a detail eleva-tion of one of the receiving or winding s ools or beams showing its driving roll an yarn traverse guide roll; and

Fig. 11 is a'n enlarged detail elevation of change-speed mechanism also illustrated in Fig. 8.

The method of winding will best be underas applied l stood by concrete examples practiced by apparatus of familiar types modified 1n accordance with the invention, for examplefor rewinding individual yarns singly, or in multiples of only two or more, from the large multiple package; or for. sk eining singly, doubly or in triples; or rewinding, inspecting and piecing-in in a multiple yarnk sheet or run itself rewound in multiple.

Referring now to Figs. 1 to 5, a well-known and typical Winder forwinding cross-,wound cheeses 34 of single or double or triple yarns at constant but adjustable surface speed by driving contact of each winding package with a tractor roll 1 is illustrated in Figs. 1, 2 and 3. A winder of the Foster type, selected for illustration, comprises a series of aligned tractor rolls 1 for driving the winding cheeses 34, said rolls being concentric with a shaft 2 in turn driven byv a main shaft 3, which receives its motion from a constant speed pulley 4, driven by a belt 5, all as best shown in Figs. 1 and 3. For the present purposes, the machine is provided with` ,a supplementary frame 6 and a gear train 7 which is driven by a sprocket 8, and a chain 17 presently referred to, for the purpose of providing a positive drive for the unwinding yarn mass at a i speedl related to the speed of the main shaft 3.

The gear train 7 transmits motion from'the sprocket '8 to the shaft 9, which extends' .lengthwise of the Winder frame and which is journaled at intervals yin frame members 10.

These frame members are disposed in pairs (but one pair being illustrated) and are furnished with upright slots such as 10a for the reception vrespectively of the opposite ends of the spindle 11 central in a dresser spool 12. The dresser spoolsmay be of any usual `form, comprising the shaft or spindle 11, or a hole for such a spindle, and the spaced heads 13 and 14 between which the yarn is wound under tension, the several yarns being in a series of llaterall thin masses 15, usually cross-wound, a`n in close lateral contact. The weight of the dresser spool is'supported by a tractor roll 16 fast on the shaft 9 between the frame members 10. This roll turns the dresser spool by contact with the general surface of the winding comprised of the several yarnl masses 15.

The chain 17 for driving the sprocket wheel 8 and positively rotating the unwinding mass 15 receives its motion from a sprocket wheel 18 secured to the shaft 3, which is driven by pulley 4. A cone pulley 19 is also secured to the shaft 3 and transmits motion by means of a belt 20 to a cone pulley'21 mounted upon a countershaft 22'. The winding tractor roll shaft 2 receives its motion from the countershaft 22 by means of a belt 22a trained about pulleys upon the respective shafts. The speed of shaft 2 is adjustable in relation to that of shafts 3 and 9 by change of thel position of belt 20.

The belt 20 may be shifted upon the cones 19 and I21 for varying the speed of countersliaft22 for this urpose by a sliding belt shifter 23, as usua which may be actuated, Fig. 5, by a link 24 connected to a crank pin 25 carried by a toothed disk 26. This disk may be turned by means of a worm 27 actuated b a hand wheel 28.

Eac of the several yarns from the dresser spool passes up through pig-tail guides 29 and 30, mounted upon rails 31 and 32 respectively, on its way to the winding yarn masses 34. These yarn masses are formed upon spindlesA 35 and are supported and driven by engagement with the tractor roll 1.

In operation, the dresser spool spindle is driven at a constant surface speed by contact with the unwinding tractor roll 16, while the individual yarns are Wound upon their respective yarn masses by contact with the tractor rolls 1, at a speed set at a slightly greaterrate than the unwinding speed by adjustment of the hand wheel 28. The surface speeds of the unwinding and winding yarn packages are thus so related as to maintain a constant and predetermined tension upon the yarns, which tension is measured by the increment or ratio of winding to unwinding speed.'

Since tlie unwinding package is positively driven, the yarns are relieved from the excessive strain ordinarily imposed upon them when the machine is started, while the positive control of the unwinding package prevents overrunning, slacking, or tangling of the yarns when the Winding mechanism is stopped.

Any desired number of unwinding spools may be arranged upon the shaft 9, in accordance with the length of the Winder and the number of ends wound upon each unwindmg spool.

Referring now to Figs. 6 and 7, the multiple or parallel-wound unwinding package may have its yarn individually re-wound in skeins by the application of the same priny ciples.

Uneven. tension yexerted upon the unwinding yarn is particularly objectionable in the winding of skeins as the unequally stretched strands elastically recover in the released skein and tend to kink and tangle when the skeins are removed from the reel, thus making the subsequent unwinding of the skeins difficult.

Referring to the drawings a frame Amay The machine may be provided with pairs of supports or brackets 46, 47, of which but one pair is illustrated. Each of these brackets 1s furnished with a guide slot 48 for the reception of an end 11 of the spindle of an unwindlng multiple wound yarn package, such as a dresser spool 13, 14, 15.

The weight of this spool is supported by a tractor' roll 50 so disposed that the yarn mass 15 upon the spool contacts directly with its peripheral surface. The tractor roll 50 is mounted upon a shaft 49 parallel to the shaft 42 and turning in bearings in the frame members 46, 47 and in a bearing 11 at its out-board end. The shaft 49 is provided with a cone pulley 52 and the shaft 42 is provided with a complementa] cone pulley 53. A belt 54 encircles the cone pulleys and transmits motion from the shaft 2 to the shaft 49. The position of the belt 54 is controlled. by a sliding belt shifter 55 adjustable by a hand wheel and screw 55.

The machine may be provided with the usual traverse rail 56 having the pig-tail or other guides 57 through which the yarn i/ passes on its way to the reel` The yarn is guided from the unwinding mass 15 to the guides 57 by other guides 58 carried by a stationary rail 59.

In operation, the spood 13, 14 and yarnl mass 15 rests by gravity against the surface of the tractor roll 50. The drive belt when on the fast pulley 44 turns the reel 3 at substantially uniform speed, and drives the shaft 49 and tractor roll 50 at a related speed according to the position of belt 54.. The position of the belt 54 is so adjusted that the surface speed of the unwinding mass spool is a little less than that of the reel, to maintain a slight and uniform tension upon the yarn between the dresser spool and the reel.

Referring now to Figs. 8 to 11, the reinspection of yarn is commonly accomplished by mounting one or more dresser spools in the inspecting spooler, drawing off yarnsI from the several spools to form a sheet or run before which the operator sits, and rewinding the yarns after inspection -upon a dresser spool, section beams, or one or more warp beams.

The inspecting spooler must be adapted to be instantly and frequently stopped and started during the inspecting operation. In starting an added burden is put upon the yarns due to the inertia of the unwinding spool, while the momentum of the latter causes it to overrun when the machine stops, thus slackeningr the yarn tension and sometimes tangling the yarns.

This invention is adaptable to the reinspecting operation, and may be practised with the aid of apparatus of the generic type of this machine. The end frame members B of a Asuitable spooler, Fig. 8, are each provided with a downwardly and forwardly inclined rail 62, and these rails are furnished respectively with journal openings for the reception of the opposite ends of two series 63,

64, of tractor roll shafts.

A bracket is mounted upon each of the members 62 adjacent to each of the bearings forthe shafts 63. Similar brackets 65 are also mounted on member 62 in association with the bearings for each of the shafts 64.

Each of the brackets 65 is provided with a guide slot 67, while the brackets 6 are furnished with similar guide slots 68. The slots 67 constitute guides to position the opposite ends 11 of the spindles of unwinding yarn mass 15 on dresser rolls 13, 14, such as above described. The slots 68 receive the opposite ends of the spindles 11 of similar winding dresser rolls for the winding yarn mass 15.

The slots 67 are open at the top and bottom so that the weight of the unwinding dresser rolls is permitted to rest upon the traction rolls 75 carried by the shafts 63 and disposed immediately be ow the respective dresser rolls. In the same manner the weight of the winding dresser rolls is' borne by the tractor rolls 76 mounted on the shafts 64. By this arrangement, rotation of the tractor rolls is frictionally transmitted to the dresser rolls by contact with the surface of the-thread mass.

Each of the shafts 63 is provided with a bevel gear 77 which meshes with a bevel gear 7 8' on a drive shaft 79. Likewise each shaft 64 is provided with a bevel gear 8O meshing with a gear 81 upon a drive shaft 82. `A gear 83 is secured to the forward end of the drive shaft 82 and meshes with a-gear upon the drive shaft d of the machine which is driven at substantially constant speed by means of a pulley p and belt, (not shown).

Suitable change-speed 'adjustment is provided between the drive for rolls 76 and the drive for rolls 75. The forward end of the shaft 79 may be furnished, for example, with a gear 84 which meshes with a gear 85 carried by a counter-shaft 86 mounted in a bracket 87. A cone pulley 88 is secured to the countershaft 86 and a complemental cone pulley 89 is mounted on the rear end of the shaft 82. A belt 89a is interposed between the cone pulleys 88 and 89 and transmits movement from the latter to the former. This belt may be shifted to vary the speed of the pulley 88 relatively to the pulley 89 by means of a belt shifting fork 90 carried b v a slide melliber 91. The position of the latter is determined by a screw threaded rod 92 actuated by a hand wheel 93. f

Each of the brackets 66 is provided with a supplemental bracket 94 having a bearing for the shaft of a traverse guide roll 95, Figs. 8 and 10. Theserolls have cam slots 95a for distributing the yarn upon the winding diessver S9001. nach 'braeka 94. is row/1aed wah a guide eye 96 through which t e yarn passes on its way to the cam slots 35.

From the unwinding dresser spoolsthe4 yarn Y passes overv uide rolls 97, 98 and 99 andpthen downwar ly to form the vertical sheet 100 before which the' operator is' positioneld. At the lower edge of this sheet the yarns pass about guide roll 101, thence over guide rolls 102 and thence to the guide eyes Preferably the winding tractor rolls 7 6 are slightly larger than the unwinding tractor rolls 75 so that'when the transmission at 88, 89 is neutral a constant increment of tension, depending on the length between winding and unwinding masses, is exerted upon the yarn between said masses. Whether or not the tractor rolls are of different size, a variable effect of tension may be obtained by adjusting the belt 89, since by this means the speed of the drive shaft T9 may be varied relatively to that of the drive shaft 82. In practice the relative speeds of these shafts is so deter` mined as to maintaina constant and predetermined tension upon the yarn, and the degree of tension may readily be variedin accordance With'the typeof yarn being wound and the impressed or ori inal tension.

While the machine 1s particularly well adapted for winding and unwinding yarn from dresser spools, it is evident that it might also be employed for winding yarn orf of and onto ordinary warp beams or other yarn packages, that the number of s ools in operation at any time is immateria and that the v machine may be designed to wind a greater or lesser number simultaneously, as may be desired. The drive connections and change speedmechanismshown by way of example may be replaced by other devices adapted to elfect the result. v x V I claim:

1. That method of tensioning yarn while winding it from one package to another which comprises positively driving both the winding and unwinding packages, the surface speed of the winding package being greater than that of the unwinding package.

2. That method of rewinding yarns from a mass wound in multiple to form individual packages which comprises positively rotating l both the winding packages and the unwindual yarn under tension.

4. 'Ihat method of controlling yarn while windlng it from one package to another nesaseo which comprises positively rotating both 'the' the linear winding and unwinding packages, take up of yarn by the winding package being greater than the surface speed of the unwinding package, and layin the winding yarn in traverse winding relation during said operation.

.5. In combination with. mechanism or orv traverse winding a yarn mass, means supporting a yarn package to be unwound', and means for positively rotating said yarn package in timed relation to the operation of the. winding mechanism at a speed to maintain the yarn between said'package and mass under tension.

6. In combination with mechanism for winding a yarn mass and comprising a winding spindle, means for rotatably supporting a yarn package to be unwound, and driving connections for turning said yarn package at a rate to secure an effective surface speed for unwinding incrementally less than the rate of winding on said spindle.

7. In combination with yarn winding means, means for supportinga package ot' yarn to be unwound, and means for rotating said package positively in relation to the effective speed of said windin means at such av speed as to maintain a pre etermined tension upon the yarn from the package on its way to the winding means. v

8. In combination with mechanism for simultaneously winding a series of yarn masses, l means for supporting an unwinding yarn package comprising a series of multiple-wound yarns, and means for rotating the yarn package at such a rate as to impose a constant tension of predetermined degree upon the yarns on their way to the several yarn masses, the winding yarn packages together comprising the sole means for drawing oi the yarn from the unwinding package.

9. In combination with a winding machine having a variable speed element for controlling the rate of rotation of the winding yarn mass, means for supporting and positively rotating an unwindin yarn mass at a substantially constant sur ace speed related to and less than the speed of winding on said yarn mass.

10. In combination with a winding mechanism having means for rotating a winding yarn mass, a.y supplementary frame having guides for positioning an unwinding yarn package, a tractor roll for supporting and driving said'package, and positive connections between the ywinding mechanism and said tractor roll for rotating the latter at constant predetermined speed, and means for guiding yarns directly from the unwinding to the windincr the effect of the-respective winding and unwinding speeds. v

11. In combination with a winding mechanism having means for supporting a series package under tension solely of Winding yarn packages, common variable speed means for rotating said packages, a supplementar frame having guide slots for the spindle o a dresser spool, a tractor roll for supporting and driving such spool, and gear connections for transmitting movement from the Winding mechanism to the tractor roll, and lmeans for turning the latter at constant speeld.

12. A machine for winding and unwinding yarn comprising means for su porting a carrier for multiple winding an an unwinding multiple-wound yarn mass, and means for positively rotating said carrier and said mass in timed relation effective to maintain the yarlnbptween said carrier and said mass under atigsion appropriate to the yarn being wound.

13. A machine for winding and unwind ing yarn comprising a winding tractor roll and an 4unwinding tractor roll, guide means associa't'ed'lwi'th each roll for positioning a wound mass of yarn to rest by gravity against the peripheral surface of the respective rolls, means for driving each tractor roll, and means for causing one of said driving means to drive the others at a different speed,

and means for guiding yarn from one yarn mass to the other.

14. A spooler comprising a frame provided with means for positioning a winding dresser spool and an unwinding dresser spool, a.-

tractor roll for turning each spool, a shaft for each roll, a driven gear on each shaft, a driving gear meshing with each driven gear, and means for turning the drivin gears at relatively different speeds adapte to cause the speed of the tractor'roll for winding to exceed that of the tractor roll for unwlnding.

15. A winding and unwinding machine comprising means for positioning a plurality of winding yarn masses and a plurality of unwinding dresser spools, a tractor roll for supporting and driving each yarn mass and each spool, traverse guide means associated with each :winding mass, means for guiding yarns from the unwinding spools to the traverse means, a common drive shaft for all of the winding tractor rolls and a second shaft for driving all of the unwinding tractor rolls, and means for transmitting motion from one of said shafts tothe other constructed and arranged to permit driving the unwinding spools at a surface speed less than that of the Winding spools.

Signed by me at Vilton, New Hampshire, this fifteenth day of May, 1923.

EDWARD J. ABBOTT. 

